Will William be crowned Prince of Wales by Charles III at his coronation?

On Saturday 6 May, the world’s eyes will be on Westminster Abbey in London for the official coronation of Charles III as the new King of the United Kingdom. Such an event has not, of course, taken place since 1953 when Elizabeth II took the throne and will capture the imagination of millions from all four corners of the globe.

But as well as Charles III’s accession, his eldest son William will also have an important role to play.

Will William be formally crowned Prince of Wales at Charles III’s coronation?

One question which has been hot on the lips of many is whether William, the heir to the British throne, will be formally crowned as the Prince of Wales by his father.

The simple answer is ‘no’, as there appear to be no plans for formal investiture ceremonies for either William or his wife Catherine, the Princess of Wales, to mark them taking on their ‘new’ roles.

William, in fact, did not automatically inherit the Prince of Wales title when his grandmother, Elizabeth II, passed away in September last year. As noted by American lifestyle magazine Town And County, Charles III had to bestow the title on his heir almost immediately after taking on his own new role.

In his first speech as King, Charles III said, “Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty. With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given”.

What role will William play in Charles III’s coronation?

What exactly will William do during the coronation? Unlike brother Prince Harry, who will be in attendance but not be involved in the ceremony in any other way, the Prince of Wales will feature heavily.

As pointed out by Spanish magazine Lecturas, William will be the only person allowed to kneel before his father when he is crowned and will perform the ‘Homage to Royal Blood’ tradition to pledge his commitment to the monarch. This includes a series of vows which he must state loudly and clearly.

William will recite the following before the King: “I, William, Prince of Wales, pledge my loyalty to you and faith and truth I will bear unto you, as your liege man of life and limb. So help me God”.

Along with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Prince of Wales will then present and assist Charles III with a long, shimmering golden robe which the King will wear for his formal accession to the throne.